Pettersson was born in Gothenburg, Sweden. A chemist, physicist and oceanographer, he held a professorship at the Stockholm HoÈgskola (Polytechnic Institute). He was the son of a Gothenburg merchant. With Lars Fredrik Nilson, he isolated titanium in 1887.

1. "Titanium-Manaccan, Cornwall, England" article in the Hexagon of Alpha Chi Sigma